About to give up... I need some advice!

Hi Angelee, I was going to PM you, I missed you, but had gotten busy for a couple days helping a neighbor. I don't know how much I can advice you, because I have been trying for years to get a job, and so far all I am getting are occasional dog sitting/house cleaning jobs. Then last Friday my one neighbor offered for me to go in once a week to do light house cleaning..It won't be enough money to live on,but it will help ease the rough edges we have on just my husband's income. Is there a neighbor who may need help? House cleaning or dog sitting? What about gardening, I also do some gardening as well. I know you won't make a lot, but it is a start, and you can get referrals for your resume. Also, have you considered taking some college classes? It looks good on your resume if you are pursuing a degree and especially if you have a good GPA. You can see if you qualify for a pell grant and if you get enough, the grant will pay for everything. Of course it also depends on how many classes you are taking and what kind. My first quarter, everything was paid for and I got 100.00 back, because in a pell grant, if one doesn't use up all the money available for the quarter, they get the cash. Then in my second and third quarters, either my classes were harder and/or the books more expensive, but I had to pay out of pocket for one of my books. But this fall, if I did the math correctly, I am getting I think close to 200.00 back because I am taking three classes instead of two. (the more classes one takes, the more grant money one gets) Other than that, your statement about businesses saying "don't call back' or we'll call you" really stinks because I was told that by calling and inquiring shows your interest in the job..I'd like someone to enlightened me on this, because they make you feel like a piece of dirt when they talk to you that way, and yet we are told to keep calling..No wonder my children stopped calling after a few times..My daughter probably got her first job at the fast food place because her sister was already working there and her sister got in because of her boyfriend..It really is stupid the way we are given mixed advice on how to get a job...

Hi Angelee, Have you tried McDonald's and Burger King? They are always hiring, due to the turn around. I know that is not a job to aspire to, but it can put some food on the table and pay some bills until you get a better job. In the mean time, I don't know what you are trained to do. Your best bet might be to take some technical college training while working, if and when you get that job that you might NOT want to have for the rest of your life. Like you, I found it difficult to find a job until I became a nurse. Once I became a nurse everything opened up and I became someone who was actually wanted and needed. I worked full time as a nurse and worked part time as an agency nurse. I was sent to many different hospitals to fill in for them when they were understaffed. Your best bet might be to train in a field that doesn't get laid off much. Nurses are always needed... there's always a shortage of nurses. There may be other professions where there are few lay offs. What I'm saying won't help you now, but it could help you in your future. In the mean time a job in fast food could suffice until you train for a specific type of career.

First of all what are your qualities, what do you know, what can you do? What job do you want? You said you are only 18 years old. You can apply in a food chain as a service crew.

Angelee, do I know how frustrating this is. I too have been unemployed for the first time in my entire life now for 17 months. We can't give up and we have to continue trying. No job will come to us and as difficult as it is sweetie we just have to keep knocking on the doors. One will open but it is our persistence that will. See I have a Master's degree and worked in my field for 20+ years. Sadly no positions are open around here for me and anything beneath my skills and experience, no one wants to hire and take a chance that I may leave, as the excuses I get is that I am "Overqualified". I have lost track with the number of places I have applied and no one is calling and or very few interviews. There is not a day I do not send out countless applications and my CV with no luck yet. I am sorry I can't offer any further advice outside of saying to keep trying. I know this is not comforting sweetie because I do this daily, but if we give up how will we live and or survive. I know well the feelings of depression, anxiety and frustration moments that occur daily. As my only alternative is to move out of my City and perhaps get a fresh new start elsewhere. I have a great many years ahead of me before I can officially retire, so I do what I can and continue trying to find a job. I do hope for the both of us to be working sometime soon.

I would suggest you sign up to a recruitment agency. I couldn’t get a job anywhere myself.. so I signed up to a well known recruitment agency in northern ireland called grafton. They brought me in, took my CV and all my details, experience, what I was good at, experience, what I thought I’d be good at, and they wrote a little personal profile on me.. and then THEY got me interviews. They called up recruiters, they checked what businesses on their books were looking staff and put me forward etc.. I got a job in my very first interview, and that interview was 3 days after joining.. and I’ve worked here for 4 years now!

Hey gal, pls don't give up. There is always light at the end of the tunnel. Just wondering if you have tried to look for online jobs through freelancer websites? There are a lot of such websites and some employers pay weekly. Maybe you could try?

When my lady finished her degree (MPsy), she worte to over 350 organisations for work. Not a single job. When I finished University, I worked in so many different types of job that I can't even remember them all - fast food, bar work, deliveries, freelance computer geek, etc. I still spent about 3 years after graduation mostly unemployed. Since moving back from France a few years ago, I've again been mostly unemployed (though for health reasons) and eventually decided to transmogrify myself into a freelance writer/editor instead of looking for normal jobs. I agree with Honor, above, who mentioned that training or being more specific in your search can help. Play to your strengths. See if the local Job Centre needs people (I worked there for a while - pay's a bit rubbish and it's boring but you get an inside view that really helps if you ever need to deal with them). Check shops and so on. Right now's an awful time 'cos all the students are around - give it a few weeks and they'll be off to Uni, leaving space. Good luck!

Please don't lose hope. I know how you feel, Right now I'm also looking for a job for myself and I have been doing it for months also. So, you're not alone. I think it's just more difficult to find a job today than before. There's a lot of competition but just don't think about it. For me, I just keep saying to myself that "it will come!". If I give up now, the lesser chance for me to land a job, right? Be optimistic always and good luck!

try in big places where they need many workers such as postal services ( being a postman or just distribute flyers), operators, survey institutes etc meanwhile, you can take care of dogs in the neighbourhood. many people would love to pay someone who will take their dogs for a walk or just feed their cats while they are away. try these and don't get despair. you are so young and will have many opportunities in future!